As we open our 36th year as an independent school on John's Island, we
are excited about the possibilities that this school offers to the Lowcountry communities. The founders of this school had a vision for good
education for the residents of John's Island and for their children in
generations to follow. The wisdom of this group has placed the school
in a position to continue to grow and develop as educational needs in
this country change. Our children face strong challenges from the
entire world as they pass from their early learning experiences to the
later depths of educational programs. We want to help them meet this
challenge.
Charleston Collegiate School is a product of many communities and
diverse peoples. The groups include the original inhabitants of John's
Island and surrounding rural communities, including those of
African-Americans who have been here for many years, of settlers of
Seabrook and Kiawah, of Latin Americans who have come lately to the island, and
of folks from a wide variety of surrounding areas as far north as
Awendaw and as far south as Edisto. We here at Charleston Collegiate
are proud to have a blend of all these peoples in our school community.
As a member of several state, regional, and national educational
organizations, Charleston Collegiate takes a leading role in the
ongoing development and improvement of independent education. The
school is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools
and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has been very
involved in those organizations. It is a member of the Palmetto
Association of Independent Schools, the South Carolina Independent
School Association, the Southern Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Center
for Independent School Renewal, and the Education Records Bureau. Charleston Collegiate is also an affiliate school of the Coalition of Essential Schools.
Currently the school enrolls about 275 students, and that enrollment
increases each year. We feel that it will continue to grow, and we have
plans to create new programs and new facilities in the near future. In every way,
Charleston Collegiate School is poised to serve its various communities
as we move into the 21st century. We are becoming one of the most
interesting small schools in the nation. We are a learning community
where everybody matters.
J. Robert (Bob) Shirley, PhD
Head of School
[E-mail]